Abstract
IN connexion with the forthcoming discussion on December 14 at the Royal Society on “Heavy Hydrogen” and the letter by A. and L. Farkas in this issue of NATURE, p. 894, it is interesting to have the results of additional experiments with heavy water, containing the hydrogen isotope H2 (isohydrogen or deuterium) reported from the United States (Harkins and Doede; Barnes; H. S. Taylor, Caley and Eyring; Selwood and Frost; G. N. Lewis and Macdonald; Olson and Maroney: J. Amer. Chem. Soc., Oct.-Nov.). An apparatus for the separation by electrolysis is described in which an alkaline solution is electrolysed between concentric nickel tubes. The solubilities of a few salts are found to be distinctly less in heavy water than in ordinary distilled water, the difference in the case of barium chloride being 19 per cent. Various physical properties such as density, refractive index, viscosity, surface tension, dielectric constant and magnetic susceptibility have been measured with specimens of heavy water containing 31, 63-5 and 92 per cent of the hydrogen in the form of H2. Previous results are confirmed in general, and some additional information obtained. Tlie viscosity is larger, and the dielectric constant smaller, than for ordinary water. The molar magnetic susceptibilities are equal. An advance report through Science Service, Washington, states that heavy water is lethal to fish, tadpoles and worms, but paramecia resisted it for twenty-four hours.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heavy Hydrogen and Heavy Water. Nature 132, 885 (1933). https://doi.org/10.1038/132885c0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/132885c0